The number of motor vehicles registered in Australia has increased since 1996. At 31 October 1999 there were 11,934,797 motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers) registered in Australia (table 23.27). This represents an increase of 1.7% since 31 October 1998. With the exception of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT, the remaining States now have fleets of over one million vehicles (table 23.28). Approximately 8 out of every 10 vehicles are passenger vehicles.

23.27 NUMBER OF REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES - 1996 to 1999(a)

Trucks

Motor vehicle census years

Passenger vehicles(b)

’000

Light commercial vehicles

’000

Rigid

'000

Articulated

'000

Non-freightcarrying

’000

Buses

’000

Total(c)

’000

Motor cycles

’000

1996

9,021.5

1,601.6

341.0

58.4

16.0

58.8

11,097.3

303.9

1997

9,206.2

1,632.2

342.4

59.3

16.7

61.1

11,351.3

313.1

1998

9,526.7

1,686.4

347.2

62.3

17.5

64.1

11,738.0

328.8

1999

9,719.9

1,721.2

346.8

63.3

17.7

65.9

11,934.8

333.8

(a) As at 31 October in all years shown.(b) Includes campervans. (c) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.

In 1971 the average age of the Australian motor vehicle fleet was 6.1 years. The average age has since grown steadily to reach 10.7 years in both 1997 and 1998 before falling to 10.6 in 1999 (table 23.29). The average age of passenger vehicles (81% of the vehicle fleet) declined by 0.1 years to 10.3 years as at 31 October 1999, following a similar fall between the 1997 and 1998 Motor Vehicle Censuses.

23.29 ESTIMATED AVERAGE AGE OF THE VEHICLE FLEET(a), By State/Territory of Registration - 31 October 1999

State of registration

Type of vehicle

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

1999

Passenger vehicles

9.2

10.8

10.2

11.9

10.5

12.1

8.9

10.1

10.3

Campervans

17.1

19.2

16.3

18.8

20.2

18.9

18.9

18.4

18.4

Light commercial vehicles

10.4

12.4

11.0

12.6

11.7

13.1

9.8

10.9

11.4

Rigid trucks with GVM 3.5 and less than 4.5 tonnes

11.2

14.3

12.6

14.6

13.7

16.7

7.1

11.9

12.7

Rigid trucks with GVM 4.5 tonnes and over

13.8

16.8

14.3

17.2

16.9

16.8

12.4

11.0

15.4

Articulated trucks

11.4

11.8

11.3

10.8

13.1

11.0

11.6

7.9

11.6

Non-freight carrying trucks

14.0

15.3

11.8

13.8

16.8

16.8

11.0

16.6

14.6

Buses

9.2

10.4

9.8

11.3

8.0

13.7

6.5

8.9

9.5

Motor cycles

9.2

9.9

10.6

(b)9.7

11.6

10.3

8.4

9.4

10.1

Total

9.5

11.2

10.5

12.1

11.0

12.5

9.2

10.1

10.6

(a) Excludes plant and equipment, caravans and trailers. (b) Year of manufacture is frequently not reported for South Australian motor cycles.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (9309.0).

The number of registered motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles) relative to the resident population increased steadily over the seven years 1991 to 1998. However, the 647 vehicles per 1,000 population at 31 October 1999 was up only marginally from 644 a year earlier (table 23.30).

23.30 MOTOR VEHICLES(a) ON REGISTER PER 1,000 OF POPULATION, By State/Territory of Registration - 1991 to 1999

The number of new motor vehicles registered in 2000-01 increased 10.5% on the previous year(table 23.31). This rise follows a marked fall in 1999-2000 when the introduction of the New Tax System delayed purchases of new motor vehicles as buyers anticipated a reduction in vehicle prices.

23.31 REGISTRATIONS OF NEW MOTOR VEHICLES, Australia, By Type of Vehicle - 1995-96 to 2000-01

Source: New Motor Vehicle Registrations, Australia (9301.0), and other ABS data on new motor vehicles available on request.

Table 23.32 shows new registrations by vehicle type for each State and Territory in 2000-01. New South Wales recorded the highest share of total new vehicle registrations (33.7%),though not for every vehicle type. There were more new registrations of articulated trucks in Victoria and non-freight carrying trucks in both Victoria and Queensland.

23.32 REGISTRATIONS OF NEW MOTOR VEHICLES, By State/Territory - 2000-01

Source: ABS data available on request, New Motor Vehicle Registrations.

Rail rolling stock

Table 23.33 shows the number of locomotives, passenger cars and wagons in the Australian rail fleet. A large number of the narrow gauge diesel locomotives are owned by Queensland operators (Queensland Rail and Sugar Cane Railways), and service the Brisbane to Cairns route or the extensive rail network transporting sugar cane. Queensland Rail has the largest fleet of locomotives with 350 narrow gauge diesel and 184 narrow gauge electric. Other operators with large locomotive fleets are Freight Corp (NSW) and Tranz Rail (NZ) which operates in Tasmania.

23.33 AUSTRALIAN RAIL FLEET, Locomotives, Passenger Cars and Wagons - at 30 June

There were 8,735 ships registered in Australia at 30 June 2001 (table 23.34), with Queensland having the largest fleet (2,774 ships). In all States/Territories except South Australia and Tasmania, more than half the fleets were registered for recreational use. High percentages of ships registered in South Australia (49.1%) and Tasmania (41.1%) were registered for fishing purposes.

23.34 SHIPS REGISTERED(a) IN AUSTRALIA - 30 June 2001

Nature of registration

Location

Recreational

no.

Fishing

no.

Government

no.

Demise chartered(b)

no.

Commercial and trading(c)

no.

Total

no.

New South Wales

1,771

279

4

6

245

2,305

Victoria

649

197

-

2

99

947

Queensland

1,585

758

19

12

402

2,774

South Australia

283

315

1

-

43

642

Western Australia

606

416

-

3

150

1,175

Tasmania

252

216

2

-

56

526

Northern Territory

274

63

1

-

28

366

Australia

5,420

2,244

27

21

1,023

8,735

(a) Australian-owned commercial or trading ships of 24 metres or more in tonnage length. All ships, regardless of tonnage length, must be registered before departing on a voyage from Australia or from a foreign port where there is an Australian diplomatic representative.(b) Demise charter is the charter of a foreign ship operated by an Australian company in Australian waters. These ships are not necessarily engaged in trade or commerce.(c) Relates to ships used for trading and commercial purposes. Some of these ships are less than 24 metres in tonnage length.

Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

The major Australian trading fleet (2,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT) and over) comprised 54 ships at 30 June 2000 (table 23.35). The largest registered coastal ships were the Iron Whyalla and the Iron Spencer (both 141,475 DWT) which shipped iron ore and coal. The minor trading fleet, consisting of vessels with Gross Tonnage (GRT) of between 150 and 2000 tonnes, comprised 23 ships.

23.35 THE AUSTRALIAN TRADING FLEET, Ships 150 Gross Tonnes or More - 30 June 2000

Ships

no.

Dead weight tonnage (DWT)(a)

Gross tonnes

Major Australian fleet(b)

Coastal -

- Australian registered

40

1,362,268

912,856

- Overseas registered

5

124,353

75,881

- Total coastal fleet

45

1,486,621

988,737

Overseas -

- Australian registered

8

633,694

636,346

- Overseas registered

1

149,235

88,122

- Total overseas fleet

9

782,929

724,468

Total

54

2,269,550

1,713,205

Minor trading ships(c) -

- Australian registered

22

12,986

10,947

- Overseas registered

1

800

5,618

Total

23

13,786

16,565

Australian trading fleet

77

2,283,336

1,729,770

(a) The weight that a vessel can carry, including cargo, bunkers, water and stores.(b) 2,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT) and over.(c) Minor trading ships are between 150 Gross Tonnage (GRT) and 2,000 DWT. GRT is the measure of internal capacity of a ship that is available within the hull and enclosed spaces for cargo, stores, passenger and crew.

Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.

Aircraft fleet

At the end of September 2001, the composition of the domestic airline fleet was in a state of continuing change following the demise of Ansett Australia on 14 September 2001.

The following information, relating to the aircraft fleet in Australia at 30 June 2001, was provided by the Department of Transport and Regional Services.

At 30 June 2001 there were 11,704 aircraft registered in Australia, including 10,645 aeroplanes and helicopters. Of these the main airlineshad 187, with a further 120 registered by their associated airlines.

Virgin Airlines (operating as Virgin Blue) commenced domestic services in Australia in August 2000 and operated a fleet of nine Boeing 737s. Impulse Airlines ceased trading as a domestic carrier in May 2001. Ansett Australia ceased trading in September 2001. A short article on the history of Ansett Australia follows below.

At 30 June 2001,31 regional operators provided regular public transport air services to about 200 airports in Australia. More than half the regional airline fleet comprised turbine engine and jet aircraft carrying up to about 90 passengers.

Qantas operates both international and domestic flights. British Airways purchased 25% of Qantas Airways Limited on 10 March 1993. The company was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange on 22 June 1995. Qantas is a member of the Oneworld Global Alliance of airlines.

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